Refrigerator car



Feb. 10, 1942. K. E. ZEIDLER REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Jan. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [/zl/emo Kat EZez'dler Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES e REFRIGERATOR CAR Kurt E. Zeidle', Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application January 13, 1940, Serial No. 313,669

6 Claims.

This? invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of a refrgerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold Weather and a coolingmeans and a heating means to be used during warm and cold weather respectively.

This invention applies particularly to cars in. which the cooling means, preferably containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brire or dry ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communicate between the cooling means and the space under the floor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. The path is from the cooling means downwardly through the aforementioned flues, through the space' under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartment thereby cooling the 1ading,iand finally to the cooling means from where the cycle is repeated.

One of the main problems involved in a car of this type is the provision of adequate strength in the refrigerant containers. The containers must not only be strong` enough to support the mass of refrigerant, but must be heavy enough or made of corrosion-resistant material to prevent corrosive action of the refrigerant reducing their strength below a safe value.

A railway car is subjected to severe service movement thereby causing weaving of the structure thereof, which weaving tends to loosen the joints. Loose joints in connection with a refrigerant container are undesirable because the loose joints may be a source of leakage and because the abrasive action inherent in a loose joint greatly accelerates corrosion.

It is an object of the invention to provide a framework near the roof of the car, which framework is rigid enough to substantially retard the weaving of the car. A further object is to utilize such framework to provide a support for the refrigerant containers.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a portion of the above mentioned framework to form an air duct to direct circulating air into contact with the refrigerant containers. ther object is to provide an insulatng facing upon certain parts of the framework to prevent condensation of moisture from the circulating air upon the framework, which moisture is liable A furv to drop upon the lading with consequent damage thereto. i

Another object is to provide a drip pan below each container to catch the overfiow from the containers or condensation dropping therefrom and to partially support such drip pan from the above mentioned framework.

Another object is to utilize a part of the above mentioned framework as the end walls of the refrigerant containers, thereby helping to reduce the weight of the car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig.` 1 is a transverse section of a refrigerator car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of the car shown in Fig. 1 as indicated by I the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan section through the refrigerant containers shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

The general parts of the refrigerator car shown are insulated roof 2; side wall 3; floor 4; hatch 5; refrigerant container 6; side wall flue l; foram inous floor rack 8 and space 9 between rack 8 and floor 4. A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directlybelow the roof 2 and adjacent the side wall 3. A drip pan l2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition l4 is provided in an upstanding position at the edge of the drip pan !2. The drip pan !2 and partition !4 cooperate with the roof 2 and side wall 3 to form anenclosing structure II around the container 6, an air inlet opening !5 being provided by spacing the partition M from the roof 2. An air discharge opening l'l which leads to the flue 'I is formed by spacing the drip pan 12 from the wall 3. Cars of this type commonly have a row of refrigerant containers 6 near each side wall 3 and spaced'apart at the center of the car. The partitions l4 are also' spaced apart to form a duct IB which communicates between the lading compartment l8 and openings [5.

Air circulation is as follows: Air in the lading compartment B is warmed by contact with the lading and rises through the duet. lto enter the enclosing structures H through the air inlet openings !5. The air, part of which flows through the passages !9 between containers 8 and drip pans l2, is cooled by contact with the refrigerant containers E and falls by reason of its greater density through the discharge openings IT and fiues 'I to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment !8, from Where the cycle just described is repeated.

The side wall structure, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises inner 25 and outer 26 side sills; inner 28 and outer 29 side plates and inner posts.3l extending between and secured to the inner sill 25 and inner plate 28. Panel flue sheets 32, preferably secured to the inner posts 3l, have panels 34 extending outwardly in spaced relation to the lining 35 to form the side wall fiues 1.

The carlines 40 are preferably z-shape members having relatively deep vertically dsposed webs 4l and substantially horizontal fianges 42. The carlines 40 may be made in one piece (45) extending across the car, as shown at the left of Fig. 3, or two pieces (46) overlapping near the center of the car, as shown at the right of Fig. 3. The purlins 50 are also preferably z-shape members having relatively deep vertically dsposed Webs I, and substantially horizontal fianges 52.

The purlins 50 are also provided with lateral anges 54 at the ends thereof, which flanges 54 are secured in fiatwise relation to the carlines 40 by any suitable means, such as the rivets 56 shown in the drawings. The carlines 40 are secured to the side posts 3I, preferably by the angle-shape brackets 56 shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This structure comprised of carlines 40 and purlins 50 extending between and secured to the posts 31 forms a relatively rigid reinforcing framework which tends to prevent weaving of the car.

Each refrigerant container 6 comprises the bottom 65 and side walls 66, all preferably formed integral, extending between and secured to the carlines 40. The side walls 66 may be fianged (68) at the ends thereof and riveted or secured by other means, to the carlines 40, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the bottom 65 secured to the inwardly projecting lower flanges 42 of the carlines 40. The top 'H of the container 6 is secured to outstanding flanges 12 on the side walls 66 of the container 6 and also to the outwardly projecting upper fianges 42 of the carlines 40. Parts of the carlines 40 form the end walls of the containers. Vertically dsposed preferably Z-shape members 14 may be interposed between the purlins 50 and the adjacent side walls 66 of the container 6 and other reinforcing members 16 extend between the purlins 50.

The space between the purlins 50 at the center of the car forms a duct 16 for upward flow of warm air from the lading compartment !8 to the refrigerant enclosure Il. A facing 80 of insulating material, such as Wood, may be provided on the purlins 50 to prevent condensation of moisture thereon, which moisture would be liable to drop upon the lading.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of Construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications the'eof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls, spaced apart carlines extending therebetween below the roof, a pair of spaced apart metallic purlins provided with longitudinally extending stiffening means extending between said carlines in spaced relation to said walls, means to rigidly attach the ends of said purlins to said carlines so that said carlines and purlins cooperate to form a :framework to retard weaving of the car, refrigerant containers between said purlins and said walls and drip pans below said containers arranged to cooperate with said roof, walls and purlins to form enclosing structures for said containers, said purlins being spaced apart to provide an air inlet duct to said enclosing structures.

2. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls, spaced apart carlines extending therebetween below the roof, a pair of spaced apart metallic purlins provided with longitudinally extending stiffening means extending between said carlines in spaced relation to said walls, means to rigidly attach the ends of said purlins to said carlines so that said carlines and purlins cooperate to form a framework to retard weaving of the car, refrigerant containers between said purlins and said walls, drip pans below said containers arranged to cooperate with said roof, walls and purlins to form enclosing structures for said containers, said purlins being spaced apart to provide an air inlet duct to said enclosing structures and insulating facing on said purlins to prevent condensation thereon.

3. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof, a pair of spaced apart carlines extending between and secured to said walls, a metallic purlin provided with longitudinally extending stiffening means extending between said carlines in spaced relation to one of said walls, means to rigidly attach the ends of said purlin to said carlines so that said carlines and purlin cooperate to form a relatively rigid framework to retard weaving of the car, a refrigerant container dsposed between said purlin and said last mentioned wall, said purlin arranged to form a part of an enclosing structure for said container, and means cooperating with said purlin to form an air inlet leading to said enclosing structure.

4. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof, a pair of spaced apart carlines extending between and secured to said walls, a metallic purlin provided with longitudinally extending stiffening means extending between said carlines in spaced relation to one of said walls, means to rigidly attach the ends of said purlin to said carlines so that said carlines and purlin cooperate to form a relatively rigid framework to retard weaving of the car, a refrigerant container dsposed between said purlin and said last mentioned wall, a drip pan below said container arranged to cooperate with said roof, purlin and last mentioned wall to form an enclosing structure for said container, and means cooperating with said purlin to form an air inlet duct leading to said enclosing structure.

5. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said purlin comprises a vertically dsposed metallic plate and wherein said stifiening means comprises substantially horizontal flanges on the upper and lower margins of said plate.

6. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said carlines also form the end walls of said container.

KURT E. ZEIDLER. 

